Buffalo News — Another Voice: Spectrum auctions are important for broadband access

In a move that has the potential to undermine efforts to bridge the digital divide and to bolster American 5G leadership, Congress has allowed the Federal Communication Commission’s authority to auction spectrum to expire for the first time in three decades.

Spectrum auctions allow broadband providers to compete for licenses to expand their bandwidth and coverage capabilities. These auctions unlock the radio frequencies that are the bedrock of the mobile phone and wireless broadband ecosystem that fuels our modern economy. Research from Boston Consulting Group finds that over the next decade, the 5G revolution will contribute over $1.4 trillion to US gross domestic product and create more than 3.8 million jobs.